No Good Deed ...

More than once over the years, I've heard someone say, "No good deed goes unpunished." They usually say it with sarcasm. They usually say it in response to (or anticipation of) a negative reaction to what they perceived as a positive effort.

Cynicism has often been one of my strong suits, so I was happy to chime in and agree with such sarcasm. After all, the world isn't fair, Murphy's law prevails - and all that stuff.

Recently I discovered something in the Bible that I'd not noticed before. It's found in 1 Peter 2:13-21. You have to read the whole section to get the context of what is being said. But verses 20-21 sum it up beautifully. It says there, "... But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."

So what is being said here? Are the cynics wrong? Not really. It seems that bad things do happen to good people. It seems that often good deeds will not go unpunished. Indeed we may suffer for having done what is good and right in the Lord's eyes. But the Bible tells us to view that suffering not with cynicism --- but rather with gratitude and joy. We are to consider it a privilege to suffer. It means we are following in Christ's footsteps.

Mmmm! What do you suppose this portends for Murphy's law then?